I think I was around twelve years old. I had a little spiral notebook that I pasted pictures of horses into and then wrote a story about the horses. One whole page was just the names of the horses. I think I still have that somewhere.

 How many jobs did you have before you became a writer?

Ha! Probably ten or so. My first job was as a receptionist at a car dealer. I also spent eight years working for an insurance company.

 How long does it take you to write a book?

The Vampire’s Warden was started in October of 2010. I took a long break from it and started working on it again in January. It probably took about three months to finish Warden.

 What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?

Probably the fact that I am so frequently interrupted by my kids. But that’s their job, so I let it slide.

 Do you have a routine that you use to get into the right frame of mind to write?

Not really. I do a lot of my writing at night after my youngest son is in bed. Music can be very helpful for when I need inspiration. I’ve discovered a lot of songs recently that really fit well with what happens in Warden.

 Where do you get your ideas or inspiration for your characters?

Movies, television, other books. My biggest inspiration for Michael, one of the main characters in Warden, is Damon from the Vampire Diaries. There are some major differences between the two, but Damon is definitely inspiring.

 How do you decide what you want to write about?

When I’m doing mundane things, like folding laundry or something simple like that—That’s when the biggest ideas hit me. I usually have one line of dialog that everything gets built around, and then it just takes off. Sometimes it works and fits well into what I wanted for the book, and then there are times when I look at it and say, “Okay, that seems really stupid now. What was I thinking?”

About you as a person:

 Are you a dog person or a cat person?

Definitely a dog person, but I like the fact that cats have attitude. I’m also crazy about horses, but we don’t have room for any right now.

 What books have most influenced your life?

The Black Stallion, Gone with the Wind, the Other Boleyn Girl, Twilight.

 What do you like to do when you are not writing?

Our family goes fishing almost every Sunday at a little pond over by my in-laws’ house. We also like to travel when it’s possible. As for me, I’m always happy to curl up with a good book and some chocolate.

 What is your favorite comfort food?

Uh, no comment. Hee hee….

 What do you think makes a good story?

The emotional changes of a character as they go through climactic events in their lives are always fascinating. That’s why I’m still such a huge fan of Gone with the Wind. Scarlett’s strength in the face of adversity is only icing on the cake. She learns so much throughout the book. I could read it a hundred times and not get bored.

 Who would you consider your favorite author and why?

That would be me. Because I’m winning (duh). I’m joking. I had to pull a Sheen. My favorite author is a tossup between Margaret Mitchell and Philippa Gregory. Meticulous research, excellent character development and emotional pull make the two of them stand out for me.

 What book, if any, do you read over and over again?

There’s several that I go over repeatedly. The Other Boleyn Girl, Gone with the Wind and the Twilight series.